


A Game of Cat and Mouse

by saeien



Series: I Wanna Be That Guy [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: College AU, Drinking, Drug Use, Drunk Sex, Drunken Kissing, M/M, Mutual Masturbation, Recreational Drug Use, Swearing, coffee shop AU, it will happen stay tuned, jeanmarco for a lil bit, like kind of, low key annie/mikasa, low key historia/ymir, low key reiner/bert, low key sasha/connie, not full on sex but, slight armin/erwin, will get nsfw later on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-12
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-04-14 07:29:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 16,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4555974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saeien/pseuds/saeien
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>College SNK AU. Eren and Jean get closer due to an unwanted class project and as tensions build certain things are remembered.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Assigned Partners

**Author's Note:**

> I'm writing this as I go only with a general idea, but ik this will end up being smutty so ill add tags as needed. There will be slight Armin/Erwin but if yall like it I could add a chapter about just their relationship. 
> 
> Also this is my first fanfic ever so be kind ty ;;

It went on for about a year. At first, everyone thought they would go their separate ways once the task had been completed, including the boys themselves. But things kept bringing them together and they could only fight it for so long. 

There were only 10 more minutes of class and everyone was excited to start spring break until the professor stated that there would be a project due at the beginning of class on the day they were to return. "You and your partner are to create a profile for your murderer," Erwin announced. "Remember to explain what kind of weapon could have been used and their motive using the evidence at the scene to back up your conclusion. For example this is why it was a blunt object, and this is why his motive is hedonistic lust. I will be assigning your partners and emailing you both your case and crime scene right away." 

Eren and Armin exchanged a look and sighed. "If I can't work with you, I think I'll just ask Erwin if I can do this project alone," Armin declared. He rose from his seat and Eren watched as he moseyed up to the front of the room to the professor. He hadn't noticed until then just how short Armin must be- wait, why was Erwin motioning toward him? Like a dog hearing his owner open the door, Eren's head perked up and waited for Armin to make his way back to their seats. 

"What was that about?" Eren asked. 

"Hm? Ah, yeah. Erwin said that I could work alone and he told me to tell you you and Jean are partners," Armin replied.

He was already packing up his notebook and bag by the time Eren snapped out of it. "What?! Horseface?!" He growled, louder than he had realized. 

"You have somethin' to say, Jaeger?" Jean snarled from a few seats back, standing up and striding over to them. "Say it to my damn face."

"Chill out, partner," Eren retorted. 

"Is that a fucking cowboy joke? I don't look like a fucking horse!"

"Nah, just saying it like it is. Erwin assigned us as partners for this," he snickered as Jean's eyes went wide and then shrunk back into aggressive slivers. They both watched Jean march up to Erwin and even from the back of the class they could tell how loud he was just by how the girls at the front jumped with each exclamation. 

Eren couldn't help but burst into giggles at seeing how defeated Jean looked walking back. Jean just shot him a tired death glare. "Fine," he groaned. "Your place or mine?"

"Like you could get me to go into your nasty-ass dorm! There's probably dirty underwear and food all over the floor," Eren rolled his eyes. "You got anything going on after this?"

"After class? No, nothing."

"Just walk to me and Armin's apartment with us. I'm shit with giving directions so it'd be way easier this way." Eren yawns and gathers up his things as well before the three of them wander on home. Its a mostly quiet walk other than the occasional remark from Eren or Jean turning any little thing they see into a insult for the other. Finally they arrived at the building and made their way down the flight of stairs into the boy's apartment.

"Well I always saw this for you, Jaeger. You're officially living in an underground creeper den," Jean remarked without so much as a smirk. "Seriously why aren't there any windows?"

"Because I hate sunlight, it gives me migraines," Eren whines.

"I wouldn't peg you as a vampire. If anyone it would probably be Mikasa... Unless you do some sort of sketchy work that keeps you out all night..." Jean winked. 

"Hah, you wish," Eren laughed. "No, I work at the bank on 3rd street."

"Hm..." Jean regarded. "Anyway. Has Erwin emailed you yet?"

"Oh, yeah he did," Eren said, seeing the notification on his phone. "I'll pull it up on my laptop so you can take a look, too." He jogged into his room for his laptop as Jean sat on the couch. He hadn't noticed but Armin must have gone into his own room already to start his own project. 'Makes sense seeing as he probably wouldn't get any work out there with us out here...' Jean thought. 

Eren emerged finally and set the laptop on the table in front of the couch. The two worked for several hours- making notes of the pH of the victim's bodily functions if that could show any signs of poisoning or irregularity; discussing what the motive could be; figuring out if it was planned or aggravated. They hadn't even noticed how long they'd been cooperating until Eren's sister dropped by.

"Never thought I'd see this sight," a voice murdered from the doorway. They both turned to see Mikasa holding an armful of paper bags. 

"Yo! Did you just get off work?" Eren greeted, not even leaving his seat. 

"Oh, hi, Mikasa! Let me help you with those bags!" Jean jumped up and grabbed a few out of her arms and looking around quickly for where he should set them. He opted for the counters in the kitchen that were across the apartment's open layout and scurried over there.

"Uh..." Mikasa was taken aback by Jean's lack of attitude in the presence of his 'nemesis.' "Yeah, I just got off. Armin texted me asking me to bring some liquor to celebrate the start of the break." Mikasa follows Jean's path and puts the rest of the bags on the counter. 

"Damn... We still have a project to do over break, though," Eren cried. 

"I don't," Armin said as he emerged from his room. "I just finished and emailed Erwin so he can give me feedback and I can edit it as needed." Armin smiled and started rifling through the bags to see what all Mikasa had brought home. Several bottles of wine, vodka, gin... There was more than what they could all finish in a healthy way in one night.

"Mikasa, I didn't know you were twenty one," Jean gawked as more alcohol spilled from the bags. 

Mikasa stared back with a blank face as Armin and Eren started laughing. "I'm not but I am hot, so..." she trailed off knowing she didn't need to explain the rest. Duh, Jean could have told her that much, he had been pining after Mikasa since he first met her. "So can we get this started?" Mikasa popped the cork on a bottle of wine and took a seat with it a bit too close to Eren for Jean's comfort. He just frowned and poured himself some of the gin, joining the others. 

That night things would happen that in theory no one would be able to forget, but the reality was quite the opposite.


	2. A Happy Morning Greeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This isn't what Jean was expecting from this project.

His aching head was the first thing Jean awoke to. The second was a very unexpected pair of arms around is waist. He wasn't sure this came about but it was very apparent due to the hard dick on his ass that he wasn't spooning Mikasa like he'd been dreaming. Okay where was he... He went over to Jaeger's place yesterday... Then Mikasa brought booze... Somewhere in there they played drunken twister and his sore legs were a sure souvenir. He grunted at the thought of any physical contact with Eren. He wasn't sure when he started hating Eren so much. They had always teased each other in aggressive ways but at first it hadn't been serious, even when Eren messed with Jean using Mikasa's phone and Jean climbed in her window at three in the morning thinking she had invited him, only to be kicked in the nuts by a half-asleep, scared Mikasa.

Jean tried wriggling around to get whoever was clinging to him off of him but they wouldn't budge. He was only able to roll around so his front was facing the perpetrator. 

"WHAT THE FUCK?" he yelled. "EREN GET THE HELL OFF!"

Eren just glared at Jean for the unnecessary wake up call. "Jesus Christ... Calm down dude," Eren growled and rolled onto his other side. 

"Well sor-ry I don't want some jackass touching me in my sleep!"

Eren rolled back and signed. "It's not like we did anything. We're not teenagers anymore, I think we can handle sleeping next to each other without pitching a fit. Now can I go back to sleep? If you want you can be the big spoon this time," Eren yawned and rolled back over, unfazed. 

Jean really didn't understand how he could be so calm about all of this. Wasn't he the one in the first place who..? It was way too early in the morning to be bringing up these old memories. He needed to get out of here- go get a coffee or something. Getting up as quietly as he could, he tiptoed out of Eren's bedroom, down the path Eren had cleared to be able to get through his messy room to his bed. As soon as Jean got out into the sun and got himself oriented, he made his way to get that coffee. 

There was a cafe nearer to Eren's apartment but coffee wasn't the only thing Jean needed after his cheerful greeting this morning. He walked a few extra blocks to the Java House his high school friend Connie worked at. Nobody usually cared if he stood by the counter to chat, it was a pretty mellow place. 

Luckily for him both Connie and his girlfriend, Sasha, were there and two opinions would probably be better on this matter. Jean waltzed in and grinned when he saw Connie's usual wacky smile. "Can I get a plain coffee today?"

"Jean! Long time no see!" Sasha cheered. "Here's a danish on the house," she smiled. Sasha was always sneaking food. If the manager ever asked- which he didn't because frankly, he didn't care- she would just say it fell on the floor.

"I still don't get why he doesn't fire you for all the inventory you consume," Jean smirked but took the treat anyhow. 

Connie turned around with the coffee in hand. "You need to pay for at least one of these things, though. Anyway what's the scoop? This isn't the closest place to your dorms so you must have something juicy to share," Connie and Sasha smiled like a couple of hungry sharks and leaned forward over the counter to hear. 

"Actually I didn't even come from my place..." Jean paused, only building the excitement for his audience. "I stayed at Eren Jaeger's last night..." He sounded just as in disbelief as the other two looked. 

"Well?!" Sasha inquired. 

"Yeah, we had a project in my crime class and then Mikasa brought over a bunch of alcohol and I don't remember much after that until I woke up this morning," he explained. "And no I didn't wake up with anyone. Well I did, but not in the way that you're thinking."

Still, Connie and Sasha grinned on waiting for more.

"I woke up to Eren spooning me," Jean whimpered.

The two of them just burst out laughing. "Wait, oh my god," Connie gasped between giggles, "wasn't Eren the one who was super homophobic in high school? And now he wraps around you when he's drunk? Oh my god why didn't you take advantage of this!?"

"What!?" Jean gawked. "Take advantage?! No, I would never!"

That interpretation just made them laugh more. "We know you're not like that oh my god. I was talking about blackmail! Take a photo of Eren being all cuddly on you," Connie wheezed.

"Oh, I guess that works too. Honestly I was just surprised how calm Eren was about it. He had morning wood and it was against my ass and he just rolled over to sleep more after I yelled at him. Like unless he forgot what happened after graduation." Jean was losing himself in recollection of that end of senior year party.

"He may have honestly. It was two years ago and as usual you both had a lot to drink at that party. I remember finding him passed out next to Historia and Ymir messing him up that afternoon for thinking he was trying to put the moves on her girl," Sasha laughed even harder at that memory. Ymir had actually duct taped Eren to the statue on Bertholdt's parent's front lawn with the help of Reiner and Connie. He was there for a few hours before Mikasa came back to the house to get him since she had left with Annie to sleep at her house before the party boiled down. 

"Or he may have embraced his own closeted self," beamed Connie. "He and Armin were always pretty close so maybe that summer they just let go and he's calmed down now that all that frustration's let up." 

Jean groaned. "And we're still not done with that project so I can't just avoid him or he'll blame me for the bad grade we get."

"Well it's all on you! Maybe we should have another party to loosen Eren up and test him out," Sasha suggested. 

"Test him out? Like have every guy there hit on him to see if he's straight or if he just wasn't into me?" Jean had to smile at that one. 

"Sure, and I volunteer Connie to seduce him first!" Sasha leered. 

Connie on the other hand groaned, "Baby, for one I don't wanna flirt with anyone but you! And for two I don't wanna flirt with Eren! Even if he was a girl he couldn't be farther from my type," he scowled.


	3. Time to Tailgate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Weird stuff is over (or just beginning) and they get ready for a party.

Eren looked at his phone and grunted. "Jean won't answer and I just want to finish this project as soon as possible," he cried. "I can't go all of break worrying about it."

"Wow, you sound so mature, Eren. Finally taking on your responsibilities," Armin smiled.

"I wanna drink," he whined. "I can't drink with this weight on my shoulders!"

'Never mind...' Armin sighed. "Well last time he was here was the night we drank a ton. Maybe he won't answer because of how he was woken up that morning. I heard him shriek from my room. You even woke Mikasa up."

"I told him it was no big deal. Why is he so upset?"

"Maybe he's into you and he's upset at you for calling it no big deal."

That had Eren spitting out his coffee in a fit of giggles. "What?! No way!" He laughed. 

Armin sighed knowing he'd be the one that would have to clean up the spilled coffee later on. "Well you think he's hot right? So maybe it's not that unexpected. I need to go, I'm meeting Erwin to go over my project." Armin stood up and took his dishes to the sink. 

And with that he was left alone at the table, only his thoughts there to amuse him. 'Doesn't that dude have anything better to do during spring break than hangout with a little boy half his age?' He couldn't avoid this topic forever, though. How did he feel about Jean? In the back of his mind was some recurring memory from before they were so malicious to each other, where Jean was saying something important. Eren had always brushed it off as just something he had dreamt when he was drunk, but after Armin brought it up he couldn't just pass it off any longer. If not to get closer to Jean than to at least make him civil enough to cooperate on the project together.  
'Damn, it's worth a try," he thought and opened his phone to his messages. 

Jean blinked at his phone. He couldn't believe what the letters were spelling out. Right there was a real text from Eren saying, "Sorry about the other night. I wasn't thinking of your feelings so sorry I made you uncomfortable. Idc* if you don't forgive me let's at least get along long enough to finish the project. Text me back." Did he really just receive an apology from Jaeger? Of all people Jaeger sent an apology to him- his mortal enemy who has tried multiple times to get with not only his sister but also him?

Nevertheless, he finally decided to reply. "Yeah it's fine. Reiner is having a party tonight, wanna finish it up this afternoon?" 

Jean's phone lit up right away after he sent the message. "Yeah I wanna go! Come over whenever and we can do it!" He sat up from his bed and slipped on some clothes. They might as well finish it sooner than later, and who knows how long it will take anyway. It needed to be done by tonight though, they were both tired of this forced connection. "On my way," he typed and sent to the person he dreaded seeing the most at that moment. 

It was one in the afternoon when Jean got to Eren's apartment, and six once they finally finished the crime profile, with a pizza break in between. Figuring the party wouldn't start for another three hours, though, they killed the time with video games and tailgating, Jean yelling at Eren whenever he started shooting people on their own team for the fun of it. 

"It makes the game more fun if it's more of a challenge, sorry I'm not a pussy who has to play on easy mode for everything," Eren mocked. 

"Well if we lose all of humanity thanks to your foolishness with these giants I'm kicking your ass!" Jean growled. Video games were the one thing Jean felt passionately- if not obsessively- about. People usually refused to play with him due to how competitive he got but it only entertained Eren all the more. He wasn't afraid of some empty threats and swearing. If anything, the swearing would only get worse the more drunk Jean got, and at this point he'd only had three beers. By the end of the party it would be a surprise if anyone could make out what he meant through the mounds of curses. Luckily for everyone involved, the time for the party was nearing and Jean would only have to hold out for so much longer. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you don't know texting lingo ;;  
> Idc = I don't care


	4. Ring of Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys, they bang.

It may not have been a good idea to go through with the party, seeing as how tipsy the pair already were. Nevertheless, they walked over to the house shared by Connie, Reiner, and Bert once the sun had gone down. This was just like any other college party they'd hosted: an open door to whoever wandered in, a giant bowl of jungle juice and a jar of money to pay for cups, beer pong at the kitchen table, and their cat, Titan, scratching any drunkard who came near her spot on the couch. Eren made a beeline for the jungle juice while Jean went looking for Connie- who was naturally dominating beer pong with Sasha, against Mikasa and some ginger girl.

Jean waltzed up next to Sasha at the table and greeted her. "Hey, who's winning?" He never did understand the rules of beer pong, he would rather just play Ring of Fire. 

"Mikasa and Petra, but we just started so we'll probably turn it back around sooner or later," Sasha gloated. "So you got Eren with you?" She looked around for him in the kitchen but to no prevail.

"Yeah, he came here with me but he went for the liquor straight away. I'm supersized he hasn't seen Mikasa and latched onto her yet," Jean uttered. 

Sasha's eyelids lowered and she grinned, "Well maybe if he drinks enough he'll latch onto you again."

Suddenly a ping pong ball hit Jean in the side of the face. "Dude give back my girlfriend, we gotta beat these sorry sods," Connie hollered. 

Eren's laughs echoed from across the room right into Jean's pride. His cheeks turned red as he picked the ball from off the ground and nailed Jaeger right in the forehead, leaving a red mark. "What the fuck, Jean!?"

"Fight me Jaeger!" Jean yelled and stomped out to the porch. Shortly afterward he was met by a cold bottle on his cheek. "Woah, whathefuck?" He jumped from the coldness and turned to find his childhood friend, Marco. They'd gone to different colleges, nearly four hours away, so it was usually hard to find the time for them to get together with schoolwork, their jobs, and personal affairs in the way. "Marco! When did you get here!?" Jean beamed from cheek to cheek.

"I just got here an hour or two ago, Bert told me they were throwing a party, so I came up for the weekend," Marco cooed, his smile bringing out his freckles incredibly so. He held up the cold bottle, "I brought out some wine, I thought you'd want to cool down."

Jean took it and smirked. "Wine?" he recited, "Isn't that a little fancy for a college spring break?" Even so he opened it and gulped it down. He could tease Marco all he wanted but even he agreed moscato sangria was undeniably good compared to the other cheap stuff they had in there, and Marco's family owned a winery so why not keep a bottle on hand. 

"So how have you been?" Marco asked, taking the wine bottle back for a sip. 

"Good, I just finished a project in my Criminal Justice class so I now have the rest of break free!" Jean grinned and stretched. "And you? What have you been doing?"

"I started as a student teacher at an elementary school in my city and the kids all really seem to like me!" 

"Well duh," Jean chuckled, "I bet all the kids have a crush on young Mr. Bodt," he winked. "You're hot as hell, thank God you won't be working at a high school!"

Marco blushed and widened his eyes, "Ah! No, don't say that!" he laughed, "Anyway I'd rather the kids like me for being a good teacher than being handsome!"

Inside, Eren watched as Jean threw his head back and his laughter reverberated through the windows. Beer pong had ended ad he was sitting with Mikasa and Petra on the couch but he couldn't focus on the conversation with that booming voice on the other side of the glass. 'That bastard,' he thought, 'I should have kicked his ass for throwing that ball at me.' 

"Ring of Fire!" Reiner called from the kitchen table. He'd cleared off all the cups and found a deck of cards to use for the game. "Who wants to play?" 

Jean perked up and grabbed Marco's arm, dragging him in to sit next to him for the game. A few other people joined, including Eren, Bert, Connie, and Mikasa. Every grabbed their drinks as Reiner explained the rules and set an empty cup in the middle of the table. 

"Whenever someone draws a king, they have to pour as much of their drink into the cup as they want. When someone draws the last king they have to drink it," Reiner went on and explained the meaning of each card. The game began and he drew the Ace of Clubs. "Waterfall!" He yelled and everyone began drinking, not allowed to stop until after the person before them had stopped, and with Reiner starting it, everyone would have a hell of a challenge keeping up. 

A four was drawn and only Mikasa drank. With each two Eren or Jean drew they picked the other to drink for them. Eren started it as revenge for hitting him but soon it just turned into them yelling, "Beer buddies!" and both gulping down their drinks. Connie was the one to get the last king and had to chug the mix of sangria, whiskey and Long Island tea. By the time the second round was over everyone had had enough, except for Bert who was the champion at holding his liquor, but he still had to drag Reiner up to bed while he could still stand and Reiner could still crawl. Marco had already left after the first round and passed out on the couch next to Sasha. Mikasa hated sleeping near drunk people so she staggered out and collapsed in the back seat of her car to sleep. 

"What d'you say? Another round just you an' me?" Jean slurred.

"We can't play with only two people, moron," Eren mocked. 

"You're th' moron, moron," Jean gave a weak punch to Eren's shoulder and yawned. "Bed?" he asked. 

Eren nodded and the two helped each other up the stairs, somewhat dragging each other down at the same time. Since Reiner and Bert had gotten together, Bert moved into Reiner's room so there was an empty bedroom for whoever could make it up the stairs after parties. The two of them wobbled over and closed the door, forgetting to first turn on the light, which made getting to the bed a lot harder. Devoid of any inhibitions that would stop them, they stripped down to their boxers and climbed into the queen sized bed, awfully close to one another. 

"Hey Eren," Jean whispered.

"Wha?" 

"Are you really that cool with being so close to me?"

Eren took a moment to respond, "Why wouldn't I be? I don't care."

"Are you..." Jean paused and rolled over, facing away from Eren, "Are you into me?" 

Through the mattress, Jean could feel Eren's body become stiff. "Nah, forget I said anything, sorry," Jean muttered. 

Suddenly the mattress started bouncing as Eren shifted closer to Jean. Jean turned his head to see if he could tell what Eren was thinking but he was instantly met by Eren's lips. He moved into it, adjusting himself around Eren and sucking on his bottom lip. Eren rolled over Jean and straddled him, rolling his half-hard cock against Jean's stomach and he couldn't help but groan. 

"Does that mean you are?" Jean whimpered, finding it hard to concentrate on words with Eren above him like that. 

"Shut up already..." Eren growled and bit Jean's collar bone, sucking a bruise into his soft skin. Eren quieted his words until he grew louder with moans and whines. Tugging down both of their boxers, Eren started rubbing their erections together, drawing out more soft cries from Jean's wet, bruised lips. Sloppy kisses pulled them together, quieting them both throughout their orgasms. Jean grabbed a shirt off the floor and wiped off his stomach with Eren collapsed on his other side. After Jean cleaned off their mess and situated himself laying back down, Eren rolled over and lay his arm over Jean's chest, pulling him closer. They both knew this was the first but neither could predict it wouldn't be the last night to end like this for them.


	5. Morning, Sleeping Beauty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jean wakes up the morning after with Eren on his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this whole thing on the memo pad app on my phone so I'm not sure if it'll be too short, but,, at least this way I can update :')

It wasn't until about 3 in the afternoon that either one of them showed any signs of life. Bert and Reiner had already woken up, made a breakfast-for-lunch hangover feast and left for their individual jobs. Connie and Sasha awoke to the smell of hash browns and crawled over to get some food from where they were spooning on the pull-out couch. Of course that was hours ago now. The couple were now dancing around the house working to clean up the party's aftermath without getting too distracted.

"I think some people were sleeping up in the spare room last night. I'll go check that room for more cans or bottles," Sasha hollered as she worked up the stairs. Jean had just started waking up to the pat of her footsteps in the hall. Only when she was getting closer and closer did he notice how breezy the room was around his lower half. And how warm it was around his shoulders. And also the weight of something on his shoulders and chest. The smell wasn't anything he really remembered. He knew he was at Connie's, but there was another smell tying into the mix. It was kind of warm smelling- like homemade banana bread maybe. It was totally ineffable, but nice and comfy.

Even so he couldn't help but notice the impending footsteps falling before him. The doorknob twisted open moments after he finally opened his eyes. He couldn't completely register what was happening before hearing a shriek and Connie's name being yelled out. More footsteps came, but louder and quicker and Jean still couldn't focus. Two blobs? Both brownish... He heard muffled voices and laughing. Finally he zoned in enough to discover it was Sasha and Connie at the doorway, and the source of the giggling could definitely be the fact that his dick was hanging out of this boxers, as was Eren's which was resting against his thigh. Suddenly his face heated up a million degrees and he felt Eren start rustling.

"Get out now!" He whispered roughly before Eren noticed the two peepers in the room. They scurried out while Eren was still burrowing his face in the spot between Jean's shoulder blades. Eren looked down with dusty, sleepy eyes at his exposed skin and just went back to pressing his face into Jean's warm skin. "Hey...." Jean tried.

Eren only groaned.   
        
"Uh, I need to get going for work soon.... So can you let go maybe?" He whispered, trying to appease the sleepy Eren enough to get out of his lock. With enough wiggling, Eren finally rolled onto his other side, giving Jean the chance to flee. Unfortunately for him, his shirt was the one that had been used for clean up last night. He ran to Bert's room in his crumpled up jeans and in search of a shirt that would fit him, and came down the stairs once he did. Connie and Sasha were there waiting for him and his answers.

"So? How was it?" Connie grinned, arm around a giggling Sasha.

"I seriously don't remember..." Jean whined. "Something must have happened though because my shirt is now dirty with cum in the spare room. I stole one of Reiner's shirts."

Just then floor boards creaking from upstairs sounded down the stairs. Sasha laughed, "lover boy is finally up."

Jeans eyes widened and he grabbed Connie and Sasha's arms and raced out the door. "We need to go, I can't confront Eren right now," he strained, worry lines carving into him like a knife, so sharp even the couple could feel his upset. 

Finally safe at a local diner and with starch soaking up the lingering alcohol, Jean recounted all the remembered. "I kind of remember stuff generally, but not in detail, I guess. I remember the game, going up stairs with Eren, darkness, and then feeling better than ever before..." Once he looked up, he realized what he had just said and burst into a blush. The other two were leaning over the table expecting more, excitedly- Sasha perhaps more so than Connie who would probably just use this information against Jean as a joke later on. 

"So are you going to talk to him or what?" Connie inquired, impatiently. 

"Not if he doesn't talk to me first," Jean said, sounding like a pouting ten year old in a fight with his best friend. 

"Well I guess you won't have to wait long." 

On the table Jean's phone was lighting up, buzzing across the wood, the vibrations moving it closer and closer to his hand.


	6. Drinks With The Rival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Armin and Eren are at a bar waiting for a concert to start they run into two people: Prof. Erwin, and Marco, the love rival.

They hadn't spoken in weeks and Eren still couldn't figure out why: had they gotten in a fight at the party and Jean was still being pissy; was he just too busy with his little boy toy Marco while he was here? Eren hated the thought of Marco, honestly. Jean only had a one bedroom apartment didn't he? So did that mean Marco and him were sharing a bed...? Or maybe he just slept on the couch. But almost a month of sleeping on a couch could not be good for you. Not that Eren cared about Marco, obviously. He was just some annoying man candy that made Jean laugh too obnoxiously and the noise honestly hurt his ears. Of course he hadn't seen them since the party, about three weeks ago- but he knew his opinion wouldn't change that quickly, he was sure he still hated that freckled freak. Eren just hoped that Marco's school would start up soon so he would have to go back.

The morning after the party Eren woke up alone next to Jean's abandoned shirt, in an empty house. Confused by why Jean left a jizz covered shirt on his trail, he gave him a call but of course he didn't answer. Whatever, Jean was a freak anyway. Who would jack off next to someone in a house that isn't even his own? Sure didn't concern Eren. He had more important things to do with his last few days of spring break than to worry about his assigned partner to a task they had completed not calling his back. 

Currently he and Armin were booking tickets to a concert at a local bar that night. Neither of them liked or even knew that band- just another highschool band for pent up teens yelling into badly sound-checked mics- but it was something to do, and possibly a way to get free drinks if they went with Mikasa who could get anything she wanted with a glance. 

Armin's phone lit up and a photo of Professor Smith appeared, as did a small blush on Armin's visibly nervous face. "I gotta take this, I'll be right back," he said and bounced into the hall. 

By the time Armin reappeared Eren had finished paying for the tickets and printing them out to be ready for the show tonight. "Hey, what was Smith calling you for?"

"Oh uh," he murmured, "He wanted to go over my report with me tonight..."

"But we have plans already for the concert!" Eren spit out, cutting Armin off. 

"Yeah I know! I told him that and so he said... He'd meet us at The Tap a little before the show..." Armin was fidgeting with his ticket and avoiding eye contact as if he knew he had messed up.

Eren just sighed and said, "he better not bring down our plans." 

With the concert starting at nine thirty, the two left their place around an hour before to have time to get there and time for Armin to meet with their teacher. 

Erwin waved from a table in the bar when the two stepped in. Armin asked Eren to "Stay right here it won't take long!" and squeezed through the crowd to get to him. 

The gig would be held on the lower floor which was used for parties and bands to be rented out. Eren was tempted to just go down early and mingle with the band until someone caught his eye. Brown hair, tan skin, freckles. Meandering through the busy venue, Eren found a seat next to him at the bar and sat down. 

"Oh!" smiled the man, "You're a friend of Jean's aren't you?" 

The way he said his name made Eren feel incredibly possessive. But for what reason? "Yeah I'm Eren. You're Marco, right?" Eren tried his best to fake a smile and enthusiasm to get the most out of this guy. 

"Yeah! Nice to meet you!" Marco extended his hand and Eren cautiously took it and shook. "So what brings you here?" Gleaming interest in Marco's eyes almost made Eren question why he didn't like this guy. 

"I actually live here," Eren said with a blank face as Marco's smile faltered and he grew noticeably nervous and uncomfortable being shown the obvious distaste for him. "I'm seeing a band downstairs, and Armin is meeting with our professor. What about you? And wouldn't you be here with Jean?" Eyes scanned the room but came up empty: no Jean here. 

"Jean's sick, so he stayed home. And I just wanted to see this place. See, I lived in this town when I was younger and I always wanted to see the inside of this bar, so now that I'm legal I went for it. Plus I can get people to buy me drinks," Marco laughed, so sincerely. 

"Is Jean okay with you flirting with other people...?" Eren asked, skeptically, and Marco's face turned as red as the cocktail he must have scammed off one of these suckers. 

"Ah. Jean and I aren't... I mean I'm not even... I just like getting free stuff..." For the first time Marco finally looked either guilty or ashamed. 

Eren belt out laughing. "So you aren't a perfect angel. You're pretty maniacal," he smiled, as did Marco more nervously. "I guess I do like you." The two laughed at that as a hand fell upon Eren's shoulder.

"Erwin and I are done. Ready for the show?" He was about to question Armin's informality until he began pulling Eren's hand leading him down the stairs and as close as they could get to the stage at this point. 

It turned out to be a lot more fun than Eren had expected, dancing with strangers and sharing their drinks. Half way through the second band, Armin had already disappeared. Eren knew his friend would be fine, though, taking into account all the martial arts he learned and the safety kit he carried secure with pepper spray, a pocket knife, and rope. He never did understand what the rope would be for. 

Finally he'd had enough of the drinks and needed to piss, but on his way up the stairs he noticed two people in the corner of the room farthest from the stage. At first he thought, 'nice, go for it,' but as he got closer he realized that girl with the blonde hair was wearing the exact same outfit as Armin had been in when they left for here. Getting closer the details became more clear and he noticed the one who's shoulders Armin had his arms draped around, the one who's hands were definitely making their way into his boxers was Erwin. 

'To each his own,' Eren thought and pushed past them to find the bathrooms, but he knew Armin would have to explain once they got home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If y'all want the next chapter to be an explicit oneshot of Armin and Erwin's night, let me know. I'd love doing that, but otherwise I'll just continue with the story for the next chapter!


	7. A Secret and an Advance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren walks Marco home from the bar and Jean has a quite serious talk.

After the show Armin fought through to find Eren and tell him he wouldn't be coming home with him tonight. 

"You goin' home with Erwin?" He winked. Armin just blushed, nodded, and ran back to Erwin waiting by the stairs. Eren watched as Armin looked up at Erwin and must have been saying something because Erwin then looked back at Eren and waved while his date linked their hands and buried his face in Erwin's chest, embarrassed and pleading to leave. Last glance and Armin waved before wading up the stairs.

The crowd filtered out leaving Eren behind, bored and alone again. He carried himself up the stairs with the last of them and noticed Marco still at the bar, leaned over and less attentive. 

"Hey Marco?" Eren greeted on his way over. Marco turned his head up unsteadily and smiled his doofy smile. 

"Oh heyyyy~" he grinned, and stared at Eren happily.

"Uh, why are you still here? You must have been sitting here for three hours or more." Eren wasn't sure exactly how long the concert had run and his phone was dead so he couldn't check the time. 

Marco just shrugged and smiled again. 'Just like a stupid puppy,' Eren thought. "Do you wanna go home?" 

Marco nodded, paused, shook his head 'no.'

"What does that mean?"

"I don't wanna go back to Jean's," he smiled. 

"Ok but you gotta get out of here. Wanna go to my place?" Marco nodded excitedly and he sighed. Would he be able to put up with this kid? Nevertheless there was no way he could leave Marco here drunk and unsupervised. Using Eren as a crutch, Marco lifted himself off the stool and close to body slammed Eren. 

With an unnecessary amount of struggling, they finally arrive at the apartment, crashing into almost everything they encountered and tumbling down half the stairs they ventured across. Right away Eren threw Marco onto the couch, no energy left to be gentle. He threw himself down as well, on the floor in front of the couch, leaning back exasperated. 

"Hey Eren," Marco smiled, leaning over Eren's face below. 

"What is it?" Eren was about ready to knock Marco out himself. This was becoming much too frustrating to deal with. 

Marco continued to smile, then suddenly dropped himself onto Eren. "Ow, what the fuck, dude?" At first he was pissed, but then shifted to extremely nervous and confused. Hands started rubbing Eren's chest and pulled down the collar of his shirt to give better access to the skin below. His mouth descended onto Eren's neck and began sucking and biting, leaving little bruises.

He had to stop him. "Marco you said you were straight!" The stinging voice echoed sharply through the room. 

Eyes went wide and scared, his voice wavered. "Ah, I-I'm sorry I thought you were..." Marco squeaked and his eyes darted anywhere but on the boy he was sitting on. "Uh..." He leaned up and got ready to run, but a grip on his hand stopped him from escaping. 

At last he looked down at Eren and was surprised to not see anger. Warm fingers climbed up his knit-clad arms and pulled him all the way back down into a hug. 

"I'm sorry I yelled, I was just confused. I'm not mad at you. I like boys, too," Eren said, his voice moving gently and visibly soothing Marco. Against his chest, Eren felt Marco's breathing calm and slow. He kissed Marco's forehead, his cheek, his ear, "But I don't think we should do this," he whispered and held on tighter, knowing Marco may try to flee again in panic. "Do you still want to stay here, or do you want me to walk you back to Jean's?"

"Jean's," Marco said and broke free as soon as Eren's arms loosened. 

With shoes on and Marco calmed down, they headed out and walked the few blocks to Jean's dorm. They held hands the whole way there- until entering the building- to avoid any problems. 

A knock on the door drew a sleepy Jean, who must have been sleeping. Still, he didn't look sick like Marco had said earlier. Annoyed and confused drew an angry growl. "Why the hell are you with Jaeger?" He asked, pointedly speaking to Marco to ignore the other. 

However Marco wasn't going to be very understandable. "I found Marco at a bar after a concert and he'd been there for hours, so I walked him back," Eren explained. 

Jean barely glanced at Eren before grabbing Marco's hand and pulling him in, slamming the door. 

"Are you okay? Your cheeks look puffy," Jean observed, sounding concerned. His hands rested on Marco's cheeks, almost forcing him to make eye contact. 

"Eren and I were talking and I started crying and," Marco whined and the tears started again, his shoulders shaking. "I'm not straight." 

It was barely a peep. Jean had to focus to hear him correctly. 

His reaction to the realization of himself wasn't totally uncalled for in regards to his religious upbringing. Marco's parents were kind people, but also very conservative with biblical standings. They had even made Jean and Marco sleep in separate rooms whenever he would stay at their house, worried that even as ten year olds they may end up condemned to hell. 

Jean wasn't as surprised about the reaction as he was the news itself. He'd never even had the thought cross his mind. "You know I'll love you either way, right? You're like a brother to me, Marco," Jean smiled, gently sliding his hands from his friend's cheeks to his shoulders. "You don't need to worry. And I'm sure your parents will accept you! How could they not want someone as nice and smart and funny as you, just for being gay?"

Marco just kept looking down at the floor, lips pursed awkwardly like he wanted to speak but was stopping himself, until another little peep came out. "I don't want a brother, Jean." Eyes stayed focused on the ground, possibly counting the cracks in the tiles while anticipating what sort of response Jean would give. This whole night was turning out to be unpredictable, who knows how this new hurdle would leave him. 

Jean's response was without words- he pulled Marco's chin up to force his eyes to finally meet his own. Distance closed between them and hot breath grew closer and their lips locked. 

After breaking, Jean finally gave his confirmed, verbal answer, "I'll be whatever you want."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not how I expected the chapter to go....... But this is in the end an erejean fic so.... I don't mean to hurt Marco but yknow. I'm somewhat upset at this chapter, but hhhh erejean will still come out on top, I just need to figure out how long I need to write Marco in :/


	8. Figured it out, yet?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spring break ends and summer break begins, everyone is reunited at a party at Reiner's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried writing a longer chapter, I may continue this scene in the next chapter but idk. Let me know if this is good, danke! Please leave a comment if its good or if I need to improve ahhh...

They woke up in each others arms the next morning and the rest of break went by like that- making use of the time they had like they never did before as friends. It made the time go by so much faster. School started up again and Marco had to go back to his own university across the state. Communication lessened but was still greater than it had been for quite some time. They both turned to each others' biggest social priority. 

Eren and Jean got a B+ on their criminal analysis report which wasn't great but was much better than they had expected. Of course Eren had made Armin read over it days before school began again just to make sure it was following criteria properly. Sasha and Connie weren't ecstatic about Jean's new partner, but they were just glad their friend was happy at least. Criminal Justice went on as it had before- Eren and Jean staying in their own lanes- but differently than before, the insults had stopped coming. If their eyes would meet, they would just turn away like strangers. No rude comments made but also no familiar smiles in memory of their short friendship. Enemies to almost lovers to circumstantial strangers. It was somewhat sad to everyone involved other than the two who could have been. Jean was busy with Marco and Eren was still in the dark about his and Jean's feelings, clinging to misconceptions from the past.

The last two months of school whipped by and finals left the kids' without much time to do anything other than study. Once they were past, there was much need to celebrate. Bert found out he had gotten into the social work program and Mikasa had gotten accepted for an exchange program to Germany to sharpen her language skills before totally setting herself on the translator path. With the class over and no reason to hide, Erwin and Armin came out about their relationship. It was no surprise that Armin would go for an older man, honestly- he was that smart and mature. 

And so a party was planned. As usual it would be at Reiner's. Everyone was invited, including Erwin and Marco, who could now come due to the end of the school year. Texts were flying back and forth asking who all was coming, what drinks would be there, "could I bring a mix to spin?", and all the rest. Everyone made it seem like this was the first get together in months, as if they hadn't seen each other at all, even those who lived together. Thought it must have just been that they were all excited the stresses were gone that would interrupt their hangouts during the school year. 

On the day of the party Erwin was getting acquainted with Mikasa and Eren at the boys' shared apartment. 

"So why did you go after Armin?" Mikasa asked bluntly. 

Armin blushed and gave Mikasa a look as if to say, "cut it out!" But Erwin just answered happily. "Armin is very bright and we seemed to have similar interests. When meeting about assignments and class topics the conversation seemed less like I was explaining it to a student and more just talking to a coworker about it. And when conversations steered toward more casual and personal topics it went just as well," the man smiled. 

"Armin is too smart to sleep around for a grade. What's he getting out of this?" Mikasa asked, stone faced. 

Armin gawked at her. "Mikasa this is enough!"

She just smirked and Erwin chuckled.

With a few pre-party drinks Mikasa calmed down quite a bit, hanging off of Eren and starting to make jokes with Erwin. 

"We might wanna get to the party while I can still carry Mikasa because I'm not sure she'd walk on her own by now," Eren said. He didn't mean Mikasa would be too drunk and needed to be held up, she would literally sprint in the opposite direction as a game and given Mikasa's athletic history no one wanted to deal with that.

So they took off early to the party with the girl on Eren's back yelling to anyone she saw. 

Only a few people were at the boys' house considering how early it was: not early necessarily but too early to show up to a party apparently. Reiner and Bert and Connie were all there of course, as was Sasha. The couple continued to give Eren motherly, sorrowful stares during the set up time. Finally Eren had had enough.

"Guys, what's up? What's with the looks?" He asked, gesturing to the suspicious mumblings that had been carrying between the two of them behind Eren all night.

"Oh nothing..." Connie sighed, obviously not trying very hard to hide their odd behavior.  
"Ya'know..." Sasha began, "Jean is gonna be at the party tonight."

"Oh, cool," Eren said, totally unphased and unbothered.

"And he's bringing Marco. His now boyfriend." They both watched fixedly as Eren's blank demeanor faltered- eyes shot open, a small twitch in his hand, his posture becoming stiff- it was only for a moment but they both caught it, even if Eren didn't catch it himself. 

"Oh, cool. Marco and I hung out during spring break one night, actually." He laughed it off a little too loudly to be natural. 

The pair both patted at a shoulder on either side of Eren. "We were rooting for you, to be frank." Without any further explanation they backed off and continued to slack off cleaning for the party. 

Eren wasn't even sure what they were rotting for him to do, let alone if he was rooting for himself as well. Shaking it off, he ventured out to find one of the people he came here with, finding Erwin alone on the couch after Mikasa had dragged Armin away to look at whatever caught her attention. He sat down on the cushion adjacent and greeted him. "Hey, Erwin."

"Hey there," he did a small wave and smiled at Eren. "How's it going?" 

"So-so," Eren gestured with her hand. "And you?"

"Good, I just wish I knew more people here," Erwin laughed. "You looked a little shaken up after your conversation with the bald man and the brunette, though. Wanna talk about it?"

He shrugged. "No offense but, I don't know how I feel about talking to my professor about my personal life."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Eren regretted it. That wasn't correct, he knew Erwin was a good guy but... Nevertheless he didn't seem to mind. Erwin only laughed again. "I feel you, buddy. I never would have spoken to my professors either. But consider this: I have all the life experience you don't, but unlike your parents none of the judgment would come with the wisdom. So if you need advice I could be pretty helpful, couldn't I?" He smiled. Everything was so sincere -the words, the smiles- but he seemed so strategic in his methods. 

What could be the harm in this small bit of information anyway? It's not like Erwin knows anyone if Eren's personal life anyway. "I think I'm jealous of this guy's boyfriend," he stated, finally explaining it to himself as well as to his advisor. "Like I want to date him but he has a boyfriend. And ever since he got that boyfriend we haven't spoken at all." 

"Have you not spoken because you're upset or because he's too busy for you?" 

"Both I think. I don't know, I haven't figured this out myself, either." Eren whined. 

Erwin smiled again. "Oh, to be young," he laughed, bellowing out. "You're being pretty vague about this, so I don't k ow what all I can say. Maybe just try to maintain a friendship with him and if that works or, wait until he and his boyfriend split up and see if anything comes between you too."

That seemed like good enough advice as any. He should wait until he figures out his own feelings more before doing anything anyway.

Set up finished and guests piled in, adding to the stash of beers and hard liquors. Ymir and Christa, Jean and Marco, many strangers who wanted somewhere to go other than home. 

Eren's eyes strained to find Mikasa, tired of being the third wheel between Armin and Erwin's dove eyes. He maneuvered through Connie and Sasha- still with the sad parents gazes- and, following the voices through the back door, found a crowd around a keg. He noticed Mikasa's feet in the air above the cheering crowd and made it down just in time to see her finish her keg stand, crashing into Reiner on the way down.

Reiner just laughed and shoved her toward Eren. "Who can beat former gymnast Mikasa for the keg record?" 

Suddenly Jean is pushed through the crowd by the freckled brunette. Marco says something to Reiner that is consumed by the crowd before Eren can hear what he says, until Reiner's voice booms over everyone again. "I guess we have another gymnast right here!" 

Marco grabs Jean's ankles and hoists him up into a handstand over the keg, lightly pushing the hose into Jean's mouth, fingers linger on his lips a little too long for Eren's comfort. 

He latches onto Mikasa and guides her back into the house just as Jean had noticed him. 

He finally figured it out: why he was so angry when Marco came to stay; why he started avoiding Jean after that night; Jean had seemed so concerned about Marco and that fact made his skin crawl. Finally the answer was apparent to his thick head: Eren was jealous.


	9. Damn ass shit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was shit to write and I'm tired oops. Drug usage in this chapter. I want them to break up already but its not time yet and I'm mad

All through the night Eren was thinking about the recently revealed gymnast. 'I wonder when he started training? Or how flexible he is... Or if he wears one of those super tight outfits...' More thoughts were rushing in and out of his head than he could concentrate on, and with alcohol mixed in it only became harder. With Mikasa wasted and down for the count, Eren had her hostage to all of his verbalized thoughts. 

"And get this!" he sputtered, "That bastard fucking looked at me! He looked at me while he was with that other bastard!" Jean was all that consumed his thoughts and everyone had had enough. Sasha and Connie gave him their sympathy at first but then it just got depressing to watch his examination of any little thing Jean said or did within the proximity of himself. Mikasa had stumbled away to go find a game to play and Armin and Erwin were no where in sight and Eren was left to whine and infer alone. Strangers regretted after giving him the time to reel them into this drama, complaining to them and holding them on the couch with his arm looped around them. After a while some had finally found Jean and told him to "clean up his boyfriend," mistaking Eren's ramblings of his crush as him missing his boyfriend.

Jean looked to Marco. "Boyfriend? Marco's fine?" 

"No, the kid on the couch," they would say, "he keeps talking about you it's annoying as hell. Take him home."

Marco leaned around to see who this person was talking about and Jean just groaned. "Marco is my boyfriend. I don't know who you're talking about."

Marco grabbed his shoulder and showed him: Eren was flailing about the couch, loud enough for the pair to hear from the next room through the commotion of the party. Not the jealous type, Marco just smiled politely, filled with second hand embarrassment. "Maybe we could get Reiner to carry him upstairs..." Jean nodded and took his boyfriend's hand, weaving through to find the muscled blond. 

"Hey man, can you carry Eren to the spare room? He's pretty much out." Reiner already knew, he'd been listening to Eren before he got this drunk and it was bad even then. 

He sighed and rolled his eyes, walking over to Eren and hoisting him over his shoulder like a rag doll. Eren gave no complaints and just started rubbing Reiner's head, commenting, "your hair is so soft I wanna sleep on it," and slurring half the words. 

They got up the stairs and Reiner tossed Eren on the bed he and Jean had shared months earlier. The drunk fell fast asleep and Reiner shut the door for him.

The party continued on without him. Marco took shots and lucky for Jean, Sasha had some weed stashed in her purse and she, Connie, and him went up to Connie's room to smoke it.

"So..." Sasha began.

Glaring daggers at her, Jean knew what she was going for right away. 

"You don't scare me, love bug." She took another puff and handed the pipe to Connie. "So what about Eren?" 

"What about him?" He sighed. He knew what. If Eren's crush continued as it was, or worse, his crush got more intense there could be trouble for everyone involved. When the two had their first falling out it split the friend group up chaotically and it was just too hard for anyone to be friends with both boys at the same time. They were too busy trying to prove who "won" the fight by taking up as much time as possible of those in the crossfire and trying to out-show the other with flashier proposals of events to get their friends to pick their side. Needless to say it wasn't just hard for Jean and Eren.

"Avoiding him would probably be the best," Connie chimed in.

"Yeah, if you want to trash all the progress you've made!" She yelled. "If you just ignore him its over! This was probably the last chance you'll have at him!"

While Sasha was right in part, "But I'm dating Marco now! Whatever happened in the past needs to go away it's too late now!" He yelled. "Mind your own damn business my life isn't a game for your entertainment!" 

At that, the couple went silent. "We were just trying to help," Connie said, raising his hands in a calming gesture. 

"You're just making a fucking mess," Jean growled and got up, making his way out the door. He was half way down the stairs in a huff of anger when he realized his jacket was in the spare room up there. He stomped up again and stormed in, throwing the blankets and coats and purses on the bed every which way in an effort to find his own. Finally he saw the sleeve of his jacket and tried to pull but it was stuck. He pulled harder and a groan came out from the lump on the bed.

"What the?" Jean uncovered the blob and found the last person he wanted to see right then. "Fucking hell, guys." He sighed and tried rolling the limp drunk onto his other side. "Eren, move."

Mumbling came from the face squished against the pillow. Jean pushed him over so he would be more understandable. "Why do you hate me?" 

"Jesus," he groaned. "Get off my coat."

"Stop," Eren cried. He squeezed his arms tighter around the jacket and pressed his face into it. "Stop hating me." 

Jean paused. "I don't hate you, Eren." Eren looked up and relaxed, his arms loosening enough for Jean to shimmy the jacket free. 

"I need to go," he sputtered and shut the door behind him, leaving Eren in the dark room alone again. He ran down the stairs, grabbing Marco and slipping out as fast as he could. 

"Jean what's wrong?" Marco asked, concern all over his face. 

"I don't wanna talk about it. I just wanna get to bed." 

Marco nodded and they walked back to Jean's dorm hand in hand- once there, squeezing into the too small bed and blocking out the night left behind them.


	10. Anyone Else But You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drunk Eren, Drunk Mikasa, Estranged Brother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dang, sorry this took so long. But I think this is a longer chapter so maybe that makes up for it. Danke schön for subscribing and reading!

There was a thick weight, pushing down on him. Despite knowing it was morning from the birds' chirping outside, it was still so dark wherever he had fallen asleep, barely noticing a difference between eyes open and closed. Just as odd was the thick air. He knew it was warm because of the summer heat, but he felt even warmer than he should, the hot, still air almost making it hard to breath. 

Upon rolling around to find a cooler place to lay, he noticed there were layers of cloth on him. Oh, right. Reiner's house, the 'Start Of Summer Break' party. He must have fallen asleep on the coat pile bed. He pushed again and threw the rest of the coats, jackets, purses, shirts- whatever people would shed and move out of the way, to the spare room throughout the party- off and onto the floor. Finally he felt the breeze from the open window and took a breath, able to get clean air finally, as opposed to the air filtered through the thick layers of fabric covering his face.

Voices in the hall were nearing, growing more and more recognizable when finally Eren opened the door to confirm them as Armin and Erwin's. "Hey, we were just coming to get you," Armin said softly. 

Handing him a cup, Erwin chimed in, "We went to get you some coffee and pain killers. The last of the bottle was empty from other people with hangovers by the time we got back," he laughed.

Eren took both gladly, popping two pills before taking a sip. "Where did Mikasa end up? I was taking care of her before I blacked out," he recalled. The last thing he really remembered was walking her in from the keg and taking shots with Ymir and Historia. He was on the couch for a while, he knew that much. And by the way his throat hurt he had either been talking a lot or sucking a lot of dick, and the only gay guys at the party were taken, so he highly doubted the second option. But he would have rather it been that than the latter. Eren's drunk talk was the worst- he never knew what he was going to say. Half of the time it was highly offensive, and one hundred percent of the time it was highly regrettable. Not knowing who he drunk-talked to was even worse, since he didn't know who to avoid.

"Someone named Levi drove her home," Armin sighed. 

"You just let her go home with some stranger you didn't know?" Eren groaned. "What if something happens to her!?" He rubbed his head, this sudden stress not helping to the deathly hangover already pressing on his temples. 

"I knew him," Erwin chimed in. "Levi Ackerman, we went to school together in my day. He's a good man." 

The two younger boys exchanged quizzical looks. "Ackerman?" 

"Yeah? Short, black hair, always looks angry. Looks kind of like Mikasa, now that I think about it..." Erwin answered. 

All of a sudden, Armin perked up. "Oh! That must have been her BROTHER she said she phoned for! Yeah, he took her home then!" At that realization, they all relaxed. 

Levi was the brother, older by fourteen years, who had already moved out before the time Mikasa's parents died. He was already in the armed forces, dispatched in another country at that time which is why Mikasa had to move in with her aunt and uncle rather than having him take care of her which turned it well for her in meeting Armin and Eren. 

He actually hadn't gotten the news until coming back that their parents had passed away, and he took that news badly, withdrawing from the rest of his family up until a few years back. That explained why Armin and Eren had never actually met or even knew about Levi. They knew Mikasa had an estranged brother but his identity was left a mystery which they gave up on invesyigating after seeing how much it angered her. Mikasa had still been mad at him at well for leaving her when she was already so alone. Upon entering college, she reached out to Levi again and this time he accepted. They still weren't close yet, but apparently close enough for him to pick her up from a party when she was beyond wasted.

Sure, Mikasa's brute strength could still kick any man's ass while she was black out drunk, but they still worried about her regardless. In fact they had a few close calls where they had been walking home after a party and Drunk Mikasa had some cat calls thrown at her and didn't feel like giving them a get away free card for sexual harassment that night. Mikasa came out fine, but the boys ended up with a few fractures and broken bones. Had they had any information as to who this feisty drunk girl was they would have pressed charges for sure. That was the main concern with Mikasa: she was extra dangerous when intoxicated. 

She hadn't gotten into any trouble that night, after leaving Eren. Levi kept her under tight watch at his house- and even if she did decide to try him, he was trained in the armed forces, so he knew how to detain someone without much harm to them.

"Anyway," Erwin went on, "Mikasa isn't who you should be worried about. You were pretty blasted last night, yourself. You may want to avoid Jean for however long you can."

Eren whined and put his face in his hand. "What did I do to him?"

"You just talked about him. A lot. Some cute things, some mean things, land some things I'd rather never repeat because of how graphically you described them," he laughed. 

Eren took a drink of his coffee so he wouldn't feel obligated to ask. Avoiding Jean would be no problem seeing as his classes with him were over, and the embarrassment he had already had dealt with thanks to that horse face was enough already.

The three of them walked back to Eren's, where Erwin had parked his car, and, once getting there, Eren went right inside and Erwin and Armin said their goodbyes outside before Erwin had to drive back to his own place. Why were things so easy for Armin and yet for him it was so hard? Armin had this sweet boyfriend and yet for Eren love was so hard to find- well its not like he had been looking. Its not like there was a certain someone who Eren thought about when the ideas of cute dates and waking up next to someone in the morning- warm arms around him when its cold, legs tangled together- would cross his mind. No one in particular of course. Of course not. That would be crazy.

Moments later the door opened and Armin bounced in, smiling widely. He retreated to his room while Eren went to his own, collecting clothes and heading for the bathroom to get ready for the job he was due at in two hours. It was already ten and Eren was scheduled to work at the bank from twelve to six. He was lucky Armin and Erwin came for him, seeing as the alarm on his phone wasn't set and he would surely have been late for work had he been left there.

Showered and dressed, he walked up to the bank and clocked in. Once in a while he got a weird look from a coworker or someone who came in for a transaction, mostly of which was due to them having been at the party the night before and hearing his long spiel about "that damn horseface" who is "just so damn cute, ok?". This embarrassment seemed to be inescapable...

Finally his shift was over and he clocked out as soon as the second hand hit the twelve, fleeing at a record speed. 

At home he found Mikasa and the short, angry man who had picked her up after the party. "Hey, how are you doing?"

Mikasa only answered with a glare. "She's been puking all day," the man answered, sternly. "I'm Levi, the brother of the girl who you allowed to get so fucked up last night." 

The deep, threatening voice growling those words made Eren shiver. There was a certain presence that reminded him so much of Mikasa that now that he had met Levi there was no doubt that he was related to her. 

"Ah, I'm sorry about that uh, she usually doesn't get this bad," voice shaking, Eren tried to keep the situation diffused and not upset Levi any further. 

He sighed. "Whatever. She should have known better, isn't that right?" He shot a look to her and slapped her on the back, forcing her to keel over and gag. "Gotta learn some time or another." A devilish smirk left his lips and Eren wasn't sure whether that made him more fearsome or more inviting, as he finally showed some emotion whether it be maliciously or otherwise.

"Well I don't have all day to deal with this kid." Rising from his seat, he walked over to Eren and extended his hand. "It was nice meeting you, regardless the circumstances. Take care of her this time." His words, polite and kind at first, turned stern at the last part. With that, Levi turned to the door and went on his way. 

Attention turned to Mikasa, and Eren quickly took the spot Levi had next to her on the couch. "Are you okay? Can I get you anything?" 

The sudden concern and softness felt nice. Mikasa smiled and held up a bottle of ginger ale Levi had gotten her before they came over. "Do we have any crackers?" 

"Yeah," Eren got up and grabbed a bag, setting them on the table before her. Fetching a mop bucket from the bathroom, he set it near her in case she would need to throw up again, and sat down again. "What sounds good?" Eren asked, grabbing the remote to switch the television on.

Mikasa just sprawled across the couch, resting her head on Eren's shoulder and purred, "let's watch one of our oldies," smiling. And he happily complied.

Who was Eren to complain? So what if he didn't have a lover, he had his best friend laying in his arms, relaxing with her on the couch. Even with her emergency vomit bucket on the floor next to him he wouldn't rather be anywhere else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So who wants to see more of brother Levi? I have a plan for him in this but if y'all aren't Levi fans it isn't too important to the story line. Also I may take a break and try doing another one shot so if you have a pairing you want me to try, hmu and I'll let you know if I'm in that fandom and can do it ! 


	11. Get this guy outta here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They hang out more and eren is gonna drunk text jean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so bored of Levi. Its been one chapter and a few paragraphs and I'm done with his ass tbh. And Marco. This has become much less simple than I imagined like sorry guys I'm trying to get Eren and Jean together just give me a few more chapters!
> 
> Also sorry I was gone for so long, I was confused abt how to lay this chapter out because one idea would drastically change the flow of things, so I went with this! Enjoy!

After that night, brother Levi started hanging around Mikasa a lot more- whether to mend their relationship or to make sure she doesn't end up that fucked up again, no one knew. But it was definitely fun to have him around. He and Erwin had fun together, reliving their old memories before they went their separate ways and so he brought together the group even more with the extra ties between them all. Plus he wasn't exactly hard on the eyes, either. 

For the first time since the party, Eren wasn't thinking about Jean. He was glad Levi was such a good distraction for him. Though no matter how much they spoke or hung out, Eren never knew any more about this figure. They always seemed to hop over the personal topics to more perhaps entertaining topics. This could have been a sign. To Eren or to Mikasa, or really to anyone who felt themselves growing closer to him. No one really noticed the extent of this unknown, even when acknowledged. His own sister didn't know his relationship status, his address or athough his friends. But she didn't think anything of it, just that he wasn't comfortable with disclosing personal information yet, or that he didn't find it necessary to discuss with his little sister. Yes it was odd that he was staying in a motel on the outside of town rather than a house or apartment, but that could be explained away in a number of ways, so why worry?

As for Eren, he was easily enough distracted just by Levi's bod. Well who wouldn't steal a few stares at a build like that? He had broad shoulders, the muscles of which could be seen through the fabric of his well fitted t shirts. Just watching his toned forearms flex when he rolls up the sleeves of his button up on the days that he comes over right after work, still the wiff of a hard days work on him. That was all Eren needed to distract him for a good while. 

Perhaps it distracted him a little too much, though. Mikasa was currently to his left and trying to get his attention, to no prevail. It took the subject at hand to snap him out of it.

"Hey," Levi puffed and snapped his fingers, making an arrow to his sister.

Eren twitched out of his fog and turned to her. "Oh. What were you saying?" 

Mikasa sighed in exhaustion making Eren slump in guilt for ignoring her. "I was saying!- I have a show on Wednesday and want you guys to come. Armin and Erwin, and Levi all agreed. Of course you were too busy zoning out to notice, obviously," Mikasa spat with a little sass. 

"Sorry..." Eren blushed. Then he registered what she had said. "Yeah, I can go that night. What time?" And then he really registered: basically a date between Armin and Erwin. Plus him and Levi. So... Double date? Now he was even more excited! But not excited enough to listen again.

Suddenly he felt a light slap on the ear. "Jeez, what is with you? Its summer, you shouldn't be stressed with anything so why are you so out of it?!" Mikasa scolded. "Stop ignoring your friends."

Eren looked over to Armin too, and he gave a sympathetic smile. "Sorry guys, I don't know what's up..."

For the rest of the day, Eren made much more of an effort not to drift off, though Mr. Eye candy made that hard. They finished dinner at the pub and Armin kissed Erwin goodbye, parting ways on that Monday night. Two days until the play. 

Although it was more than a few blocks to their apartment, the weather promised well, thus Eren and Armin decided to walk and converse along the way. Small talk mostly, but some straining thought led Armin the the question of, "So why are you so spacey around Levi?"

Eren gave him a look of embarrassment, and Armin understood. "Oh," was all he could muster. After a few moments, "But that won't go anywhere, right?"

"No!" Eren peeped, "I don't think so. I guess I know I shouldn't even think about it, but look at him!" 

There was no denying it, Armin agreed, but that didn't mean anything when dealing with friends' family. "Is it him? Or is it that you're trying to fill a spot?" Armin inquired. If he was to go into criminal profiling he would have no difficulty whatsoever. Whether or not the 'profiled' would accept it or not.

"What spot?" Eren scoffed. "You really think I'm that desperate?" Eren was beginning to get annoyed. "Yeah, all my friends have dates now. Of course, poor little Eren is lonely!" His pace quickened with the volume of his speech. Tension so thick you couldn't even cut it with those mayor scissors, the rest of the walk was silent. Upon entering the apartment Eren broke the silence. "I'm going for a run. I won't have my keys so don't lock up," and before even receiving a response he was out of there. No way he would be able to get to sleep with such an active, full head. 

Armin awoke the next morning to breakfast already made, which was rare with a roommate so incompetent in the area of cooking. On his phone he found a text from Eren sent earlier, most likely before he had left for work: sorry for blowing up at u. Neat and short but Armin still accepted it nevertheless, smiling over his plate of pancakes, which in the end were nothing to excite over. He made a note to himself not to ever again eat something left by someone with the culinary experience of a week old worm. Still, the thought made up for scrubbing his mouth out with soap.

The hours drone on and on in a bore. On a Thursday morning there really wasn't too much traffic to a bank, rather everyone was at their own respective jobs. Eren never minded it, though. The lazy days did get boring with nothing to do, just standing at the counter, but the busy days were absolute hell. Overall, he really did not mind the lack of work at all. 

In fact right then, in came a face looking very familiar. Eren hadn't thought he'd ever met this woman before, but he knew she bared a close resemblance to someone he knew, however he couldn't put his thumb on who exactly that would be. So up she walked to his station, greeted him, and asked to deposit a check. It was then that he saw who the check was made out to. A Teresa Braus... Now he figured it out! While entering in all the information to the computer, he finally figured to confirm, "Do you have a," until a loud thud cut him off.

A loud thud that would answer his unfinished question. Sasha came around the corner with a hand over her nose. "I thought the door was a 'pull' and it wasn't opening," she began to explain, still without looking up to see who else was in the facility, "so I pulled harder but I just ended up punching myself in the face." A few feet away she finally looked up. "Oh, Eren!" Pain now forgotten, she ran the last few feet up to him. "Hi! I didn't know you worked here!"

"That's because you make me do any finances you can't do on your phone!" Her mother snapped playfully. 

Sasha just gave her a look and turned back to Eren. "So what have you been doing this summer? Its almost over and I've barely seen you!"

Eren smiled, and opened his mouth to answer but then Mrs. Braus interrupted to say, "Sasha, you shouldn't bother this boy at work! I'm sure he's busy enough without you." 

"No, I don't mind," he cut in. "There's never much to do on weekday mornings anyway. As long as we aren't holding you up from where ever you're going next!" With a smile that could melt honey, he won her over. She smiled back and just said she would wait in the car for Sasha. 

"Anyway..." Sasha whined, trying to coax him to continue.

"Yeah so, I've been hanging out with Mikasa's older brother lately!" He grinned, excitement visible in his movements.

"She has a brother?" Sasha exclaimed. She hadn't heard the whole story, or really heard anything of Mikasa's personal life, so Eren filled her in as well as he could without infringing on Mikasa's privacy. "Wow, that's kind of sad... So does he look just like her?"

Upon thinking about it, not really. "They have the exact same mannerisms and expressions, the same deadpan humor, but no. Mikasa looks a lot softer. Levi is really short though which is cute!" Eren laughed.

"Oh, cute?" Sasha inquired, eyeing him. Right away he knew what she was getting at. 

"This isn't going anywhere so it doesn't matter. Just don't worry about it. And don't tell Jean." Pinky out to ensure confidentiality. 

Sasha sighed and hooked hers, too, swearing not to say anything to Jean. Of course he never said not to tell Connie, who could in turn tell Jean... Hijinks will always find a loop hole.

And plays will always find hijinks. It was the night of and Mikasa had to go in early to "fix something those damn thespians broke again," as put in her words. So she and Levi were alone, walking around the ped-mall waiting for the theater to open to audience. Armin and Erwin were going to get dinner and meet Levi and Eren afterward in the entrance, so it was just them, and they still had an hour and a half to kill. 

"So you know your way around this place, right?" Levi began.

"Yeah, I guess," Eren answered. 

"I don't know about you, but I haven't eaten yet. Wanna show me the best pizza place here?" Levi smirked, in a way Eren could never resist. Forget about pizza, Eren would rather show him a lot more.

 

"Yeah, there's one that's about a twenty minute way from here! They have the weirdest combinations, that always somehow work..." Eren trailed off in awe, remembering the spinach and calamari pizza he tried last time he went there "That sounds perfect," Levi smiled and let Eren lead him on. Along the way he pointed out where the stores he used to go to were. A parfait place that used to be the best speakeasy for underage kids to mess around in. A boutique that used to be a macaroni parlor, an entire shop dedicated to pasta. "They had every shape imaginable. And behind the clerk's desk they had the dirty pasta shaped like dicks, out of view of the kids who just wanted their teddy bear noodles." 

It was interesting to hear about all the things that have come and gone in this one place, in the matter of maybe ten years.

Finally they made it to the pizza place, got a bite, and headed back a few minutes early to meet Armin and Erwin. The door opened and the crowd all took their seats in the auditorium. Mikasa was able to get the boys seats in the front row. 

 

Once the intermission cut in, Eren and Levi stood up to stretch their legs, walking back to the lobby for bathroom and drink breaks. "So where is Mikasa?"

"Hm?" Eren hummed. "Oh. She isn't acting, she's in crew!"

"That's cool, I couldn't see her as Maureen anyway." 

Eren burst out in giggles. To imagine Mikasa as such a flamboyant, sexualized character was just too much. She could sing, but no way would she agree to sing that song about the cow and do all the sound effects for it. "Yeah, she's working manning the lights, and she helped paint the backdrops!" 

"Huh," Levi nodded. They made their way back to their seats and sat down for the rest of the show. Feelings of mourning during Angel's death were diverted by a wandering hand on his leg. Eren moved into it as an okay to Levi. The show soon ended, and everyone met on the street outside, joined soon by Mikasa once she had turned everything off and tidied up for tomorrow's staff. During goodbyes, Levi slipped Eren his number without raising any suspicions. 

After a few shots with Armin, he finally got the nerve to put Levi's number in his phone. A few more drinks and he got the guts to text the number, "Hey I been thinkin abt u." Unfortunately for him, the alcohol made his typing a little messy. Fortunately for the hijinks, he hit the wrong name to send that to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I haven't narrorated Jean in a while, and I love him sm, so I'm gonna try to get back to him again!


	12. Pleasant Accidents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm back, and so is homeboy Jean

Jean didn't expect any of it- the message that would appear on his phone, the response from Eren, the blow up, none of it. He just expected a nice night out with Marco. They had started out with a plan, the plan to double up with Connie and Sasha and see the new zombie movie that just hit theaters and then go to the bar for a few drinks afterward. They had all met up at ten thirty for the eleven o'clock showing. The movie was good, they all conversed about it at Gwen's up town with drinks in hand.

"I just hate the sexy, half stripped action girl trope," Marco started. "It's so over done, and unrealistic. Like for a zombie apocalypse you need to layer up or wear something that could protect against bites!" Marco, the most logical one in the group was having such a hard time coping with these idiotic movie measures to get the top amount of views, while no one else had as much of a problem with it, especially the one girl in the group, Sasha, who just said there needs to be a little eye candy amidst all the gory, rotting corpses eating all the other hotties. 

"I just don't get it," Marco pouted, as his boyfriend put a hand on his back and rubbed to help calm him, though that wouldn't end up working later on. 

Come one in the morning and a few more drinks later, everyone had been simmering down and contemplating leaving, once Jean's phone, which had been sitting on the bar, went off. Eyes all floated to the screen wondering who would need Jean at this hour, knowing all the most possible answers were with him right now anyway. "Who is it?" Marco perked up, tired and just wanting to go lay down in bed with Jean. 

Jean blinked for a few minutes and turned to Connie. "It's Eren." He stepped away a few feet and checked the message. 

Sasha scurried over too and looked over his shoulder. "Oh, he's gotten a lot more forward," she gawked. "What are you gonna say?"

"I don't know," he groaned. "I might just ignore it." He dropped his phone in his pocket and walked back over to Marco. "You ready to head out?" Marco nodded and Jean called back to Connie and Sasha, "We're gonna head out now, I'll see you guys later," and they went on their way back to Reiner's , who Jean was renting the spare room from over the summer while dorms are closed. A few blocks in and Jean noticed Marco was falling behind. "Babe, you okay?" Jean stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and waited for Marco to catch up the few steps, but he just stopped as well, feet away from Jean with no intention of getting any closer. 

"Why does Eren text you all the time? Like this is the second time that Drunk Eren has gotten in the way of a fun night with us," Marco whined, looking frustrated. "What did he say?"

"It's nothing that matters, Marco," he cooed. "We can talk about it when we get home." Jean tried to inch closer and take Marco's hand to lead him back home sooner in the chance they they would get stopped for public intoxication. 

But Marco just pulled his hand away. "I remember that you had a huge thing for Eren. And now he's interested in you, and you seem kind of stuck on that," Marco's face fell and Jean knew all he was saying was correct, as much as he wanted to deny it, yes, he was very stuck on Eren's feelings on him finally being reciprocated. "And I've been interested in your for so long, and I was so happy once you returned my feelings, and I'm not gonna stop you from that."

He knew it was coming, he had the gut feeling and he didn't know what he wanted but he knew he had to make the choice immediately: Marco or Eren. All he was certain about was that he didn't want to. He didn't want the power to hurt either of his two very close friends, but he had it, it was too late. And the more he waited and faltered the more he saw Marco shake, the worse he knew the outcome would be. 

"Just fucking choose. You didn't choose all throughout high school, you're more than half way through college now, just make the fucking decision already. Don't waste my time, don't waste Eren's, just fucking pick already!" Marco's voice began to rise and Jean knew people would start coming out to check it out, or start complaining about the noise outside. "Don't make me wait any fucking longer, I've been waiting since the beginning of our relationship for you to either fully, completely pick me, or for you to leave me. For Eren."

"Can we please do this at home, so we don't get the cops called on us?" Jean tried to grab Marco's hand again, just to have it slapped away. He knew patience was running thin. 

"I'm not going home with you if you're just going to send me out. Either make a decision now, or I will," Marco growled. And they both knew he couldn't. It was too hard. It's never easy, it wasn't some heavenly light shining down on a pedestal with the answer conveniently placed upon it- it was a street light shining down on the distance that had accumulated between them, and would continue to grow, as time passed and no words came out. The answer was made. 

Jean walked home alone, welcomed by some worried texts from Connie and Sasha, asking what happened, if he was okay, if he needed someone to come over. They knew what would happen, and they knew to the extent that of course he wasn't going to hurt Marco, and that only one option would be left. 

Hours later Jean didn't ignore it. But hours later Eren had forgotten and fallen asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to get this out, I've been very into life stuff and very out of fic and fandom. I hope this follows the tone I'd set while I was more into this story, I still am and am happy to write it it's just been a while so sorry and yeah this is short but I wanted to get it out and I still need to get ready for work lmao


	13. With Nothing Else To Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ... Throw a party. Everyone gathers for a bonfire out at Bert's parent's cabin, fights and choices are picked.

Half way through the summer and the group still hadn't taken advantage of Bert's rich parents yet this year, which was way past due. The heat was unbearable and when the idea finally arose no one could find a way to turn it down. No one had the energy to argue about it for sure. The plan was born mid July on the small back porch at Bert and Reiner's. Everyone had the day off, or had gotten done early enough, and needed a way to cool down- so day drinking it is. Sasha and Jean stirred up a few margaritas for those who asked, beer was iced for anyone else. With a buzz and the impending heat growing through the day, everyone had lazed down. Jean was laying on the porch with Sasha's head on his stomach, her legs stretched over Connie's lap, sitting over the top step. Reiner was standing at the bottom, smoking, while Bert sat on the railing with a leg over his boyfriend's shoulder. Finally Bert spoke up after stealing a drag, not a smoker himself, but the menthol did help cool his throat occasionally. "I haven't remembered it being this hot since I was little, and at least back then we could go to the lake," he yawned. 

"Well there's a lake in the next town about twenty miles over we could try out," Connie added, "but it'll probably be super crowded right now."

"No, like my family owns a plot of land up in Michigan with a cabin that we would always go to," Bert trailed off, reaching for Reiner's cigarette, while he was stood still and looking up at the brunette.

Everyone else stayed quiet as well until Reiner finally spoke up. "Babe, what the hell?" Bert looked down. "You had a fucking lake this whole time and we've been suffering for weeks? We should totally see if we can all go up there for a weekend," he grinned like a fox, knowing he'd get his way. 

Bert's eyes softened and he laughed. "Well yeah, I can go there any time. It isn't legal yet, but my parents are leaving the plot to me, and since they're getting older they can't stand the drive up anymore, or all the hiking." By then everyone's energy returned from all the intrigue, and they had all sat up as if they were ready to go right then. "Not next weekend, but the one after, that's enough in advance for us all the ask for the weekend off from work. How about we head up then? The cabin has four bedrooms, and there's enough free, level land outside for tents, in case anyone else wants to join!" Bert smiled, generous and cheerful as ever. Everyone laughed and agreed, started planning on what to bring, who to invite, who's driving with who. They all agreed, as usual, to throw a party. They would head up Friday, clean it up- because God knows how long it's been since anyone was there, other than the locals all of whom included a few lake turtles, an aggressive garden snake, and the closet spider- and would be joined by anyone else on Saturday for the party. This seemed to be the perfect opportunity anyway, what with some of the group going on their last year at the college, and Mikasa leaving soon for her year abroad. One last big blow out with everyone until who knows when. 

So everyone got a group text, the main porch group plus Eren's triad turned quintet, Annie, Petra, the angry lesbian couple, and anyone else who would care to make the few hour drive that day. 

Friday morning came, and everyone in the setup group was able to get work off, so the car was packed up with whatever bedding would be needed, and everyone's individual suit cases with all the necessary clothing and toiletries. Reiner drove in his giant, clunky jeep which sounded like it was overheating the entire way there. 

"There's the turnoff," Bert called from the passenger seat, head out the window to catch the elevated mountain breeze. They traveled up a winding road that despite being paved looked nervingly desolate to all the newcomers. Bert continued to warn for "steep edge, here," and "look out, the neighbor's dog might still be around. He would always get excited and chase our car up to our driveway," until they finally came into view of what Bert described to be a "small rustic cabin," with a humble grin. It wasn't humble at all. The cabin looked to be three stories high with a window that extended all the the floors to show the open living room. 

"Goddamnit, Bert," Jean sighed, helping to pull all the bags from the trunk once they finally stopped and all got a good gawk at the near mansion. Everyone grabbed their own bags and headed up the porch stairs into the foyer after allowing Bert to get through with the key. 

"The bedrooms are up those stairs," he motioned to a stairway splitting through the middle of the house with open rails on either side of the second floor, "and there are two on either side. So once you put your stuff upstairs and pick rooms we can get to cleaning!" Bert grinned and walked up with Reiner, helping him to decide which room to share. They called dibs on the largest room, which Bert's parents would always claim, leaving Sasha and Connie a slightly smaller room on the opposite side of the floor, and Jean with a medium size room on their side. Stuff put away and everyone with dunner in their bellies, the cleaning and exploring of the cabin began. 

"Hey, check this guy out!" Connie yelled, heading in the kitchen door from the connected porch. Sasha crawled over from her counter spot where she was also working on cleaning cobwebs from the cabinets. So comfortably in his hands, Connie held out a small, grey shape with short fur. 

"Dude, is that a fucking opossum?" Sasha whispered, trying to remain calm as to not wake up the little creature. "Put that down, you can't just grab wild animals. It might be rabid!"

Just then Bert walks in holding some groceries to be put away. "Oh, you found a Luther?" 

Sasha just gawked. "A what?"

Bert put down the bags and walked over to Connie, pulling up on the animal's gums to check out the teeth. "We used to always find opossums under the porch and they would even come eat from our hands, so we named each one Luther, not sure if it was ever the same opossum. This little guy is probably a baby of the family." Bert reached out and took the opossum into his arms, in a slightly more nurturing position than Connie was holding it. 

"What if the fucker has rabies!?" Sasha cried, backing up against the wall as much as she could between the cabinets. 

Bert just laughed easily, "Opossums have such a low body temperature they can't really carry rabies. It's just the teeth you gotta be careful of, they can bite like hell," Bert said so calmly as he dug through the bags for something for Luther jr. to nibble on.

They all went back to cleaning, back door open for the new friend to leave whenever he finished eating. Not everyone was as supportive of Bert's welcomeness, but no one argued, knowing Bert never made any decisions that ended badly. Reiner and Jean finished laundry and the second floor just in time to make the beds and divide blankets and pillows for lights out. Everyone said goodnights and shared bathroom times before each retiring to respective rooms. Only then did Jean check his phone since getting there and plugging it in.

One single notification lit up the screen: a text message from Mikasa, "Is it okay if my brother comes to the party? He was coming to town this weekend :/"

Jean just thought, 'What the heck? If I don't let Levi come they'll probably skip.' So instead he just replied, "Sure, but have him pitch in for booze," and smiled knowing he still got something good out of the deal- free booze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't get the idea for this chapter until I was writing the summery, as vague as it is, I knew just what was gonna go down and hell yea. its comin


End file.
